Tuesday, February 8, 2011

School's Out.

A few weeks ago I was reading this article in the paper and was struck by this:

There are multiple classes being "taught" in Florida [and, I believe, other school districts throughout the country] that are entirely based on computer work. But they aren't computer classes.  Instead, they are core curriculum classes like precalculus that are not taught at all.  The students are in a classroom filled with computers and their assignments are given to them by the computer and they do their work there on the computer on their own.  No teacher to ask questions.  No teacher in the classroom.  [They do have a "facilitator" to handle technical problems with the computers.]

Now, say what you will about shitty teachers.  We've all had them.  Our kids have them.  There is nothing that kills the interest to learn more than a shitty teacher.  Except, I would argue, NO teacher.

How is this possible?  How has education come to this?

And then I realized - it doesn't matter.  Because the only jobs being created are in the service sector, where you'll be using a computer to ring up people's purchases.  Better to get used to it now, right?

Gah.

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On a more positive note, I discuss delicious breakfast food at Secret Society of List Addicts.  Yum.

5 comments:

  1. Yup. We are slowly being taken over by machines and I'm not even close to kidding.

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  2. greeeat. another way the "education" machine disrespects teachers. it either treats them like assistant managers at wal-mart or does things like this. well, this teacher's kid HIGHLY disapproves.

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  3. Things are just going to move more and more in that direction.

    I can't even imagine the changes in 50 years.

    I pray they're good ones...

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  4. This is very scary!! It's right out of Gilliam's Brazil.

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  5. Suniverse, where have I been? Love this new bookish theme! I would argue that no teacher beats a sucky teacher like scissors beats paper, but it makes me sad when I think about all the great teachers I've had. And the great ones are in the majority.

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Every time you comment, I get a lady boner.